The ruling is a victory for opponents of Public Act 4, the state law that strengthens the powers of emergency managers in fiscally-distressed cities. The review team, led by State Treasurer Andy Dillon, is going through the review process that could lead Governor Snyder t0 appoint an emergency manager in Detroit. It’s also a victory for Robert Davis, the Highland Park school board member and union activist who filed the lawsuit just last week. Davis argued that the state review process preceding the appointment of an emergency manager violated the Open Meetings Act, because the review team meets behind closed doors.

Moroun Court Update

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards was, “within his rights to send the owner of the Ambassador Bridge to jail for disregarding court orders but should have made it clear what steps the 84-year-old billionaire businessman could take to win his freedom,” the Associated Press reports. On January 12th, Judge Edwards ordered, Manuel “Moroun and associate Dan Stamper to jail for repeatedly failing to follow his orders to work with the state and complete a redevelopment project on the Detroit side of the bridge to Windsor, Ontario. The appeals court ordered them freed pending its ruling. Edwards holds another hearing Thursday,” the AP explains.

Hutaree Jury Selection

Jury selection is scheduled to begin today in the case of members of a Christian militia group accused of plotting attacks on Michigan police officers. “Members of the Hutaree Militia are accused of plotting to murder a police officer. Then attack the officer’s funeral procession, in order to kill more law enforcement officers. Authorities arrested nine members of the group in March 2010,” Steve Camordy reports. The trial is expected to last six to ten weeks.